This document discusses the challenges facing migrant families in London regarding integration and education. It notes that London's school population is increasingly diverse, but migrant and minority ethnic pupils still underachieve compared to their peers. It also discusses socioeconomic inequalities experienced by some minority groups. The document outlines concerns of migrant parents regarding the education system and experiences of their children. It examines the role of migrant community education services and the need to build effective partnerships between schools and these organizations. Sustainable models of support are needed to help with students' achievement and parental engagement.

1. LONDON’S MIGRANT FAMILIES:
INTEGRATION AND EDUCATION
Overview of Current Challenges
Alessio D’Angelo, Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences
Social Policy Research Centre (Middlesex University)

2. Introduction
This presentation builds on a number of ‘Knowledge Exchange’ projects
undertaken within the Social Policy Research Centre (www.sprc.info) such as:
• 2013-2018 - Reducing Early School Leaving in Europe (RESL.eu)
• 2012-2013 - The Impacts, Challenges and Sustainability Issues of Supplementary Education.
An evaluation of Paiwand Afghan Association education services.
• 2011 - BAME Children in London: Educational Needs and the Role of Community
Organisations. An evaluation of the education services of ‘Day-Mer’.
• 2010 - Educational Needs of Newly Arrived Migrant and Refugee Families
• 2009-2010 - Polish Pupils in London Schools: A Knowledge Exchange Project
• 2008 - Polish children in London Primary Schools
All these projects were characterised by a ‘community engagement approach’,
production of tools and recommendations, dissemination with local
communities and practitioners.

3. Migrant and BME pupils in London
• School population in London is characterized by an increasing diversity.
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
% EAL pupils (primary and secondary schools)
England London Inner London Outer London
Main language spoken by
pupils in London (2008)

4. Migrant and BME pupils in London - Underachievement
• Overall improvement in
the last decade
• Persistent gaps among
some groups and between
boys and girls
• High rates of emotional
problems, truancy and
exclusion

5. Socio-economic inequalities and welfare needs
• Some BME groups
experience higher than
average levels of socio-
economic deprivation.
• The economic crisis and
welfare restructuring are
having a disproportionate
effect on BME communities.
• The impact is not just
economic, but also on mental
health and family relations
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
Census 2011 - Unemployment rate, by ethnic group (%)
All BME Groups
All Groups

6. Recent policy trends
• Key themes: ‘parents’ choice’, schools’ competition.
• Independence and reduced LEAs control (Academies and Free Schools).
• Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG) closed (2011) and ‘mainstreamed’
into the Direct Schools Grant (DSG).
• Introduction of Pupil’s Premium in 2011 (calculated on FSM)

7. Parents concerns
• Concerns shared by many (migrant) parents: lack of discipline; too little
homework; the ‘streaming’ of children by ability; the fact that children
progress according to age.
“In Turkey (…) at the end of the year you would either fail and stay in the
same class or you would pass, and you could say ‘my child is successful’ or
‘my child is unsuccessful’ (…) but here you don’t have anything like that.
[Turkish mother]
• Many feel they are unable to support their children.
“No matter how much I try, I can’t really help them at home because my
English is not very good, and my husband works so he comes home late in
the evening” *Kurdish mother+

8. Parents concerns: a clash of expectations
• Some parents acknowledged some of the issues they face are due to a lack of
understanding of the British educational system.
• Clashes of expectations may arise between parents and schools because of
different, taken for granted assumptions on the role of education, the
modes of parental engagement, the practices of communication.
• On the other end, an English education is seen as an important asset for the
children’s future.
• Many parents value diversity in London schools as a great opportunity.
(Though in some cases something they did not expect)

9. Parents concerns: being stereotyped
• Some parents feel their children are ‘stereotyped’ (if not discriminated).
• Language is the most widely mentioned issues, together with a feeling that this
is sometimes used as an ‘excuse’ to overlook other issues
“Schools always thinks because English is the second language perhaps that
is why the child is struggling, then they don’t look into it any further”
[Kurdish mother]
• Behaviour is also an issue, as well as the risk that ‘quiet’ children do not get
the support they need.
“If the child is quiet, doesn’t say anything, doesn’t cause a problem, the
teacher tells you your children is doing well at school” *Turkish mother+

10. Children’s experiences
• For children the migration experience may be confusing, unexpected and
frightening. Their ability to ‘get on’ is sometimes overestimated.
• ‘Success’ in the new society may be measured by both parent and child in
terms of how well the child is doing in school, learning the new language,
making new friends.
• Some parents and/or children may experience discrimination.
“I got different reactions from people. I was surprised, because I have heard
that English people are not a racist people, but I was very wrong… They
didn’t treat me like someone equal to them. I was an immigrant to
them, who should not have come to this country”. [Polish pupil]

11. The role of migrant community education services
• Education services provided by migrant community organisations include:
supplementary classes, Saturday schools, in-school support, parental
engagement initiatives.
• The impact of community education services:
• Additional learning and language support.
• Providing role models and foster sense of belonging.
• Engaging parents (language support, information, education).
• Strengthening links between schools and local communities.
”It’s easier to make friends here. We can relate to each other in this school ... feel
safer” [Afghan girl about supplementary school]
“I can’t really help my children with their homework (…) this place at least gives
them the extra support that I can’t give them”.[Kurdish father]

12. Building effective partnerships
• The role of community organisations is highly valued by parents and many
teachers, but examples of successful partnerships are still limited.
• The initial stages are often critical to avoid tensions and build
effective partnerships between school and community organisation.
• Some schools still see community education services as “a reminder of
their own failure” and are concerned about “top-down approaches”.
• The most successful partnerships took place where there was mutual
respect and recognition of each other role.

13. The issue of sustainability
• Recent years have seen the emergence of new challenges to the sustainability
of migrant and BME community services.
• ‘Marketisation’ of the Third Sector.
• Community cohesion agenda (lack of funding for BME organisations).
• End of EMAG programme.
• Reduction of Council-wide initiatives.
• Increased (super)diversity of London communities.
• Ways forward:
• Networking and partnerships between community organisations.
• Knowledge exchange and shared resourced between schools.
• More systematic approaches to evaluation.

14. Conclusions
• The increasing diversity of London schools presents challenges as well as
opportunities.
• Students achievement and parents engagement require an ‘holistic’ approach.
• Communication and engagement between schools, pupils, families and
communities is key.
• There is no ‘one fits all’ solution: contextualised and community specific
interventions are the way forward.
• New sustainable models of (community-based) support are needed.

15. Reducing Early School Leaving in Europe
• This 5-year EU project “aims to provide insights into the processes that influence
young people’s decision to leave school or training early, before gaining
adequate qualifications for today’s demandinglabour market”.
• 9 countries: Belgium, UK, Sweden, Portugal, Netherlands, Poland,
Spain, Hungary and Austria
• UK research areas: Gateshead, Enfield and Barnet
• Project involves: 3-year survey of students and staff; identify good
practices (training programs, tutoring, internships, etc.)
• We are still recruiting schools willing to be involved!

16. LONDON’S MIGRANT FAMILIES:
INTEGRATION AND EDUCATION
Overview of Current Challenges
Alessio D’Angelo, Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences
Social Policy Research Centre (Middlesex University)